Ambiguous
by Shay Stark and Raven Rogers
Summary: Thor promised he would come, but he never came. Months later, Loki Laufeyson is happily engaged to a mortal man and planning a future with him. But what will he do when his adopted brother chooses to finally show up and make good on his promises? Will it be too late? Loki/Selvig, hints of Loki/Thor and other pairings. Slash. Mpreg. The works. Sequel to Forever Yours, Thor Odinson.
1. Prologue

**Author's Note: And as you can tell, I never sleep. If I did, where would I find time to write this much fanfiction in one night? Well, if you can solve the mystery, I'd like to know. I can't figure out where any of this is coming from, only that I like it all and I hope you enjoyed it as well. If you didn't know, this is the sequel to two letters, "Faithfully Yours, Loki Laufeyson" and "Forever Yours, Thor Odinson". And they have a prequel called "Epiphany". You don't necessarily have to read it all to understand everything that's going on here, but you should. It'll help. Review and enjoy!**

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**Ambiguous**

**Prologue**

Waking up in a Midgardian bed was always a strange experience as far as Loki was concerned, but not waking up alone? That was beautiful no matter where he was. When he took a deep breath of the artificially chilled air in the room, he picked up the faint scent of his sleeping boyfriend's cologne and nuzzled happily into the chest before him. Every night, no matter what position he fell asleep in, he awoke to find himself with his face pressed to Selvig's chest, gentle arms around his waist, face buried against his hair, his own arms looped tightly around Selvig's neck. It was an odd thing, to be sure, but Eric and Shawn both assured him it was commonplace among couples. How could he know, seeing as he had never been in a true relationship? But he was rapidly catching up on that experience and enjoying every moment of it. Ever since he had come to live at Eric's rather lavish apartment, he had felt awkward and alone, and then Selvig came to speak to him.

What had been a conversation mostly of his voice stuttering out shy apologies bloomed into a gentle kiss, then gentle touches, then a tender romance. Admittedly, he had always been fond of the human who held him so close, but to know his feelings were returned was stunningly validating. He smiled into the soft fabric of Selvig's shirt and pressed a kiss to the space just over the mortal's heart. A soft hum into his hair answered him, and he chuckled warmly.

Gods, he was so happy.

"Good morning," Selvig mumbled against his hair, and Loki craned his head up to meet the mortal's blue gaze. Those kind eyes were not Thor's, and for that, he was glad. He had long since moved on from the love he carried for his brother. Despite Thor's insistent letter with all of his proclamations of love, the golden prince had not shown up, and Loki had simply moved on. Given up. He could not hold out for someone who did not love him, not when there was someone nearby who did.

So he ripped the letter into shreds and tossed it into Eric' fireplace while the Avengers cheered him on, and when he turned around, Selvig had been there to reward him with a kiss. A kiss far hotter than the flames destroying his brother's false words. And that had been it.

"Hello, yourself," Loki mumbled, eyes falling closed as Selvig pressed a kiss to his forehead. Such a sweet, chaste little thing. Not like what they had done last night. No, there had been nothing innocent about that. "Every morning, I am reminded just how much I love you. And how proud of myself I am for finally seeking love from someone who could readily give it."

Selvig slowly sat up, keeping an arm around Loki's waist so the god was drawn up alongside him. Instead of sitting up and snuggling properly, Loki simply remained in a relaxed heap against his lover's side, smiling lazily as bright sunlight filtered in through the thin curtains to warm his skin. The light had been nearly blinding when he had first found himself in Midgard, but as time passed, he found himself fond of the weight of it. Just a little light on a too cool today could make it perfect, and now, in the air-conditioned room, the soft heat from the sun was almost decadent. Warm sunlight on his naked skin was definitely decadent, especially when he was so close to his equally-naked lover.

Another little kiss was pressed to the tip of his nose, and he wrinkled it in reaction, which drew a chortle from Selvig. "For the powerful god that I know you are, you make yourself look cute and harmless when you crinkle your nose like a rabbit."

"Vile little vermin is what they are, though, and I would hope you would not think me as simple-minded and stupid as Eric's beloved fur ball," Loki muttered. The damned butterscotch and white rabbit had run of the house when Eric let it out of its cage, and Loki had the urge to pin it to the ground by stepping on its ears just to listen to the funny screaming noise it made when it was frightened. Who knew annoying long-eared rats howled when terrified? It was rather amusing.

But Jormungandr, Jorry, rather, loved the rabbit dearly, and so Loki let it live rather than nudging it into an unfortunate accident. Which was really too bad, because he suspected the thing would be stupid enough to follow a trail of carrots into the fireplace… Or the garbage disposal.

"As if any of us could think you had the intelligence of a rabbit when you're the only one who can somehow hit five digits in Scrabble." Selvig gave Loki's hip a caress as he straightened further, casting a glance at their discarded clothing. "We'll have to get dressed and get downstairs before the little hellions start causing trouble. Steve might be able to handle them, but he's got one of his own to deal with, and I would hate to find Bruce buried under them again. The last time they all pinned him down, I thought he was going to let them suffocate him."

Loki chuckled and finally sat up, arching his back to work the stiffness out of it and kicking the rumpled sheet off of his bare body. He saw Selvig following his movements with eyes alone and smiled, not entirely surprised to know that, even after a night of passionate lovemaking, his boyfriend was still ready to take him again. Despite being further along in his age than the rest of the residents of the house, Selvig had proved time and time again he had just as much stamina, if not more, than the younger men who brashly flashed their confidence like precious gems. But Loki was too sore to consider sex at the moment, so he simply gathered their clothing to toss in the laundry basket in the bathroom, beckoning Selvig to follow him. After all, there were things they could do that did not involve penetration but offered pleasure. And it was a hell of a way to start the morning.


	2. Chapter One

**Author's Note: Over five thousand words. Can you say longest story chapter to date?**

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**Ambiguous**

**Chapter One**

The living room was already bustling with activity just because Loki's children had woken everyone up far earlier than they would have liked to be awake. When Selvig had first moved in with them, only Jorry had been with them, and the child was quiet. He woke up, made himself a bowl of cereal, and quietly watched television until the first few people awoke and began to prepare for the day. But when the others had been recovered from the various realms they had lived in, the dynamics had changed. Hel, the oldest at eight years old, was loud and brassy and unwilling to let anyone tell her what to do, and she insisted on waking up at least one adult when her siblings awoke. And for some reason, they all enjoyed waking up around the same time the sun decided to lift over the horizon. Four of them were milling around in the floor, chattering away as they played, but Jorry was sitting on the loveseat with one of his books, reading. As always.

One evening, Selvig had been shoved out of the apartment with the strict order to take Tony's credit card, pick Loki up from the city library, and take him on a date. All evening. Do _not_ come back before midnight. Stunned but pleased at the idea of having an evening alone with the stunning god, he had agreed and did as he was told. Took Loki out to dinner, then to see a movie. Then they walked through the park, out by the harbor. They had not been together, not then, but Selvig had wanted to be. It hardly mattered to him Loki had possessed his mind and used him in an attempt to steal the Tesseract, not when Loki was so intelligent and so tortured and so very, very beautiful. Selvig had never had feelings for another man, not at all, but Loki was different. So different.

After a beautiful night together, he brought Loki home at midnight to find not one child waiting but _five_, and he had been stunned. Shawn, Eric, and Clint had been passed out in bed, not waking the next day until well after three, and so he suspected they had spent the night playing a dangerous game of reconnaissance. He wanted to scold them for risking their lives when all three of them, though hard to kill, were very mortal, but when Loki had fallen to his knees with a cry of nothing less than absolute elation, he kept his peace. He watched instead as all five children swarmed their mother, and there had been tears and joy and happiness and love. Considering he had been living in a world composed mostly of science and numbers and fact, it had been a moving experience, and all he could do when the three young men finally stumbled downstairs was hug them all. At the same time. Hard.

Now, months later, Loki still fell to his knees, and his children still swarmed him as though they had not seen him in years. Selvig knelt as well and waited his turn for hugs and kisses, glad the little ones had accepted him when he sat them down and made it clear he loved their mother dearly. Well, the older ones had, at least. Only Hel, Fen, and Jorry truly understood the extent of his feelings. Narfi, who was only four, had no real concept of love other than he knew he had it, and Sleipnir—Nir—was only three, so he was just happy to be held and tickled and kissed. Which was good enough.

"Momma, Uncle Clint said a bad word," Jorry said seriously as he buried his face against the side of Loki's neck. The two were two halves of the same whole, mirror images of each other down to the intelligence, pale skin, dark hair, and emerald eyes. They even had the same solemn, sometimes mischievous personality. And they were both pureblood Jotuns. "He said it because Aunt Tasha shoved a jelly doughnut down the back of his pants and kicked it."

Selvig muffled a snort against the palm of his hand while he swept Fen up in a hug, ruffling the boy's dark golden hair. It was just like Natasha and Clint to cause trouble at breakfast while the rest of the house was still in the process of waking up. It was a miracle Eric was not raising holy hell about the two mercenaries "getting started" before noon. And if he was not, someone had probably thought to go out and buy muffins when they were getting the doughnuts.

"What did the bad word start with?" Loki inquired, expression as serious as his son's, as if he did not see the humor in the situation.

Jorry glanced up at his mother through the long lace of his lashes, all sweet and innocent. As if he could not be just as troublesome with his magic as his mother. Indeed, they were alike in all ways. "It started with an "m". And it was the long one."

"Good gods, the man is foul of mouth no matter the time of day." Loki kissed Jorry's forehead, then stroked his soft black hair back and smiled at him. "Thank you very much for telling me, sweetheart. That was the right thing to do, and Momma will deal with him the moment I walk into the kitchen. No worries. Have you eaten breakfast this morning?"

"Eric gave all of us one of his muffins, and we had doughnuts," Jorry confirmed, rocking back and forth on his heels. That was always an interesting sign.

Loki seemed to understand the hidden message and smiled slyly, leaning forward until their foreheads were touching, and Selvig cocked his head curiously while the other four circled him, Nir climbing insistently into his lap. "You have a new trick to show me." Not a question. A statement.

The boy nodded and pressed his palms together for a moment, then parted them, and there was just suddenly a half-devoured chocolate chip muffin resting in them. It was sudden, without a flicker or spark or light, almost as if he had simply pulled it out of the air, and the little ones were impressed enough to clap. So did Selvig. He had seen Loki do the same thing time and time again, but the dark-haired god had a thousand years of experience to work with while Jorry was only seven. Loki beamed and smacked a kiss across the boy's forehead, clearly proud of the little display of magic. Selvig was as well. Even if he did not understand the mechanics of the magic all of Loki's children had received, they never failed to amaze him with such simple acts.

"What in the _holy hell_?" a familiar voice demanded from the kitchen, and Selvig groaned quietly at the sound. "I swear to God, that is the _fifth_ muffin that has just vanished right off of the table! Shawn, if you're the one stealing my muffins, I'm going to shoot you and mount you over the damn fireplace. _Where is it, you thieving scoundrel?_"

Jorry switched the muffin to one hand, waved his free one over it, and just like that, it was gone. Most likely back on the table, where it had been the moment before Eric had reached for it. Selvig laughed in delight and pulled the boy into a hug, pressing a huge, sloppy kiss to the side of the boy's cheek while the others giggled. It was hard to put one over on Eric Powers because the boy had been made paranoid enough by S.H.I.E.L.D. to be ultra-attuned to his surroundings, and Loki had sworn he would not torment the mortal because of the debt he owed the mortal for helping him so often. And something about the fact Jorry was using his new trick to drive the time traveler insane just made Selvig's morning perfect.

"Please tell me you can do that with things bigger than muffins," he whispered in the boy's ear, breaking into laughter again when Jorry gave him a wily smirk.

"I made his laptop disappear when he got up to get another muffin," Jorry whispered, and Selvig saw Loki shake his head out of the corner of his eye while the children tried to muffle dramatically loud laughter. "He thought Uncle Clint moved it, and they started yelling at each other and kept it up for almost ten minutes before I made it reappear. And then they were both really confused and wouldn't talk to each other anymore."

Hel poked her head into the conversation, green eyes shining with the name deviousness. "And then when Uncle Clint got a doughnut, I made it look like the flavor changed every time he took his eyes off of it because it really wasn't nice to yell at Eric."

"And _I_ kept moving Fluffernutter around the room when Eric was looking at his computer. From the table to the counter to the top of the fridge and all over the place," Fen said brightly.

The three oldest were cunning, certainly, and the pleased yet resigned light in Loki's eyes proved he was more than happy with how they had turned out. Selvig was pleased as well. The lot of them were promising masters of magic, and it would only be a matter of time before they were causing trouble on as grand a scale as Loki did. He thought it was cute. On Earth, so many children were busy rebelling against their parents from the very moment they were born, but Loki's children were aspiring to follow in his footsteps. It was proof that, even as young as they were, they loved him and respected him greatly. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact Loki had been separated from them for so long before finally getting all of them back. Or perhaps it was just in their natures. Certainly, it was not inherited. Loki had always been a bit of a rebel, never following in anyone's footsteps, just wandering off in his own direction to accomplish the goals he had set for himself. That had not changed. Selvig hoped it never did. It was one of the quirks he loved about his little trickster lover, one of many, and each one served to make Loki ever the more exceptional and striking.

And that whole part about taking over Asgard and trying to kill Thor and killing his biological father and trying to take over New York and taking over Selvig's brain? All water under the bridge. After all, as he had pointed out to everyone, Loki was beautifully unique.

"We're going to go eat now," Selvig said, passing Nir off to Hel, trusting the older girl to watch over her little brother. While the adults had trouble watching over the youngest of Loki's children, Hel was rather good at caring for him. She was mature for nine years old. "If you guys need anything, feel free to ask."

Hel nodded and drew her brothers back to the game they were playing on the floor while Jorry returned to his book. Selvig stood and helped Loki to his feet, pecking the god's lips playfully before leading him into the kitchen. Nearly stepping on Fluffernutter in the process, who let out a terrified rabbit squeal before hurrying into the living room. He saw Loki seethe and rolled his eyes, not understanding what it was about the bunny that royally angered the trickster. The rabbit was a sort of trickster on his own, appearing at random moments to frighten people and waiting until they were very close before screaming, which scared the hell out of everyone who heard it. Trust Eric Powers to find a rabbit as loud and obnoxious as him, and to think of a ridiculous name for it.

The kitchen was in what Selvig thought of as casual chaos. The team filled the room, some gathered at the table, some sitting at the island, and of course Clint had to sit on the counter because it annoyed Eric to have anyone's behind where he cooked. Eric was at the island, typing away on his laptop and shifting his gaze nervously to his chocolate chip muffin, as if he expected it to disappear again in the midst of his typing. Tony sat with him, close enough that their knees were touching, and Selvig wondered if the Iron Man was finally deciding to give the time traveler a shot for a change. After nearly a year of courtship befitting a beautiful princess, that was. Steve, baby in arms, Tasha, Bruce, and Shawn sat at the table, talking animatedly about some movie they had gone to see the previous night, and after retrieving a chocolate doughnut, Coulson joined them. There it was, their big, happy family. Happy as any family could be. Actually, far happier. They were all finally settling in.

"K-Man!" Eric stood abruptly, a movement awfully sudden for a person who could barely stand before noon rolled around, and it was only nine-thirty, and Selvig sighed at the nickname. He had received it because he was "Erik with a K", and Eric Powers could not bear to have another person with a name that sounded exactly like his in the apartment. So, he was K-Man to Eric, Selvig to everyone else, and Erik to Loki and the kids. Go figure. "Okay, we seriously have to soundproof your room. I hate to say this and embarrass you in front of everyone, but luckily, Loki did that for you last night, so this should be nothing new. You had him screaming _so loud_ Tony could hear you in his lab, and his lab is in the _basement_."

"Which, if you didn't get the implication there, means the kidlets heard you," Clint added as he bit into a doughnut with an odd orange sauce on it.

Bruce smiled somewhat apologetically. "It's true. I could hear you, too. And there is nothing more unpleasant than having to explain to five sleepy children that Momma and Erik aren't hurting each other because the other Eric can't bring himself to explain anything without blushing like a middle school girl."

"I do _not_ blush like a middle school girl," Eric said, plopping back down in his hair and rolling his shoulders, making small yet audible cracks echo in the room. "I blush like a high school girl at the least, so give me so credit, and on my best days, I blush like a frat boy whose awkward uncle came to the party, got drunk, and started telling embarrassing stories about him."

"Bad memories of college?" Tony teased, sipping from a steaming mug decorated with a pattern of gears. Most likely custom ordered as another present from Eric.

The time traveler hung his head. "I wouldn't know. I blocked those memories out. But seriously. Soundproof the room or teach Loki about how the rest of us bite pillows."

"You don't have to be jealous that my lover can make the most gloriously loud sounds come out of me when you are still desperately attempting to make the Man of Iron fall irrevocably in love with you," Loki said without missing a beat, floating over to the counter to retrieve a powdered doughnut for himself. "Perhaps, when you manage to move past your envy, my Erik can sit you down and teach you the true mechanics of lovemaking. You'll need a number two pencil and a college ruled notebook, and, of course, an open mind. But judging the amount of pornography I found on your laptop when I decided to attempt hacking for the first time, the open mind part will be no problem."

Eric gaped while the others paused, then burst into laughter. When Loki had first come to live with them, the lot of them had been nervous about his presence because of the fact he had tried to eliminate them all and take over the world. But as time passed, Selvig watched them all ease into their affection for the playful god. Loki was smart and helpful, aiding others when he could and doing everything to prove he had changed. And he had. Though Clint and Tasha were still a bit stubborn about accepting Loki in their home, they did not see what Selvig saw. The nights when he and Loki would just sit down with the kids and read stories, the way Loki held them close and comforted them and soothed them. Anyone who believed Loki was still the vengeful being he had been would only need to see him with the little ones piled on his lap to know they were wrong. Once upon a time, Loki had been less than pleasant, but he was good now, pure and sweet and good, and Selvig loved him desperately.

He joined his lover at the box of doughnuts and picked up one of the doughnuts with the odd orange sauce, giving it a bite and raising his eyebrows in surprise. It was good. He checked the receipt and assumed it was the blood orange glazed one, wondering where in the hell the doughnuts had come from. He was still pondering that when Loki took his hand and led him over to the table, sitting down beside Natasha without a word. She tensed slightly, then slowly relaxed.

"What in the world does the good doctor do to you to make you scream like that?" she asked him, and Selvig nearly choked on his pastry.

Loki fluttered his eyelashes at her as he chewed, speaking only after he had swallowed and licked the light dusting of powder on his soft pink lips. "He does many strange and wonderful things. Do recall, Lady Natasha, that I possess both male and female genitalia. You most likely know how sensitive the individual nerve endings can be, so imagine combining them and having an insatiable man pleasuring them in the most sinful, delicious way possible all at once. During the foreplay and the act itself. And doing other wonderful things to the rest of your body as well. Is it any small wonder that I nearly shatter the windows every night?"

"It's probably a good thing you got dibs on Loki before he started talking like that," Shawn said as he dissected a jelly doughnut with a spoon, and Selvig watched in interest. "I know Eric wouldn't have a chance in hell, but you know, that never stopped him from trying. And Loki talks pretty dirty."

Eric spun around in his chair, fixing his brother with a hard stare. "Every time you speak, _bro_, you seriously risk the continuation of your presence in this apartment."

"But you can't kick me out, Eric. Not now that I finally got Bruce to give me a chance," Shawn argued.

Another hushed silence fell across the room, punctuated only by the sounds of the children laughing in the living room. Around the same time Eric had begun shamelessly pursing Tony, Shawn had begun quietly, if not shyly, flirting with Bruce. It made almost laughable sense. The brothers were fairly smart, after all, and of course, they went after the geniuses. Even though Eric had the tendency to flirt with anything with legs. But while it was plainly obvious Tony had been dodging Eric's advances with grace and kindness, none of them had really paid attention to what Bruce and Shawn were doing. There was so much they had to do all of the time, and they had six kids in the apartment, not to mention missions, so watching over the two quietest men apparently had made no one's priority list. But they were sending each other soft smiles across the table, and they would make such an _adorable_ couple anyway, so they all finally relaxed into soft congratulations to the pair. All except for Eric.

"Now _this_ is why chivalry is dead," the younger twin declared, throwing his hands up into the air. "I have done everything in my power to win Tony over, and none of it works, and I get myself stomped on with every attempt. But Shawn just giggles and blushes and fidgets, and he gets Bruce freaking Banner, and I don't even understand how that's _fair_! I get shot three times and nearly get myself eaten by a freaking _fire monster thing_, and what do I get from it? A _gentle_ but _firm_ hand on my shoulder that keeps saying no. _This_ is why men don't even want to try anymore!"

Tony groaned and rubbed his hands over his face, coffee brown eyes rolling toward the ceiling before he rested a hand on Eric's shoulder, effectively halting the boy before he could descend into another "Decline of the Western Civilization" soapbox speech. After all, they had heard enough of them to fill a ten-disc collector's edition. With footnotes. "If I finally give you a chance, will you stop making everything way more dramatic than it is?"

"H-huh?" Eric blinked, arms still raised in the air, half-turned in his chair, and it looked like a painful position to be holding.

"I'm tired of listening to you turn into an insane activist every time something like this happens," Tony clarified, and Selvig had to give the man credit. After all, Tony was a playboy afraid of commitment, which was part of the reason he had broken up with Pepper just as things seemed to be settling down. Not only was Tony giving a shot to something he usually avoided at all costs, he was going to have to settle with dating a guy with so much literature-based romance crammed into his head it was a miracle he could speak modern English terms of endearment at all. "Every time someone gets with someone else, you fly off the handle because you haven't gotten me to say yes yet. And though it was kind of cute in the beginning, it's annoying now. And besides, you're right. You've done a lot. Let's call it enough. Do you want that kiss you've been begging for now or later?"

Apparently, that had been long enough for Eric to settle in with the idea he had finally _won_, and he seized Tony's face, smashing their lips together. The room rose in sarcastic applause because maybe Eric would be in a less grim-gloomy-emo mood now that he had the only thing he still wanted. And, Selvig noted, Tony did not look entirely displeased with the kiss. Of course, once a pair of dark hands started trying to roam under the back of Eric's shirt, everyone was yelling for them to _stop it_, it was _gross_, and it was too early in the morning to be doing that.

Loki took another bite of doughnut, and as soon as he swallowed, Selvig leaned close and licked the powdered sugar off of his lips. The god looked pleasantly startled, then gave him a snuggle as a reward and went to fetch himself another doughnut. Which was good. Loki had been too thin when he moved in with the lot of them, and it was nice to see a little weight on him. His excellent bone structure was still visible, but in an attractive way rather than a worrisome one. Instead of being painfully sharp edges, he was softer, smoother, and Selvig knew from experience the loss of those edges was worth it. Running his hands down Loki's back and not encountering the knobs of his spine was a relief, and it had added considerable softness to his bottom and thighs. _Quite worth it, indeed._

Shawn cleared his throat as he licked a bit of raspberry jelly off of his spoon, eyeing the insides of his doughnut curiously. "So, I do have a question for you, Selvig. What are you going to do if Thor _does_ show up? Because I know it's been a while, and he hasn't showed up, but just what if he does? And what if he gets this crazy idea that Loki _has_ to be his, and that's that?"

Selvig swallowed the last bite of blood orange doughnut in his mouth and smiled gratefully at his boyfriend when Loki sat down and handed him another. "I thought about that, but it doesn't bother me in the least. He doesn't know the current situation, but if he shows up, he'll find out. And he'll leave us be. He's a little stubborn, but he's not as bad as you seem to think."

"I wish we could sic him on Jane, since he was really into her before having to go back to that ugly golden place with the gay bridge," Eric said, voice a good deal happier than it had been when he was demanding to know where his muffin had disappeared to. "But she's married now and stuff. And, you know, I like that Ted guy well enough because he's sweet and nice, but things would be a lot easier if he had never showed up. Because Thor would have stayed here, and then Loki could have fallen in love with K-Man, and everyone would be happy."

"Except for Ted," Steve pointed out, shifting his son from one arm to the other. Little Abraham Howard Rogers, affectionately nicknamed Abe by Eric, who had taken the liberty with nicknaming _everyone_, giggled softly and peered around with his father's—mother's—big, ocean blue eyes. That kid made Selvig want to have a baby of his own. With Loki, of course.

Clint spit out the half-chewed piece of doughnut in his mouth to jump into the conversation. "But Ted's a nice guy, and he would have found a lady eventually. Hands down about that. But if he had never gotten it into his head to marry Jane, and she hadn't accepted, we wouldn't all be freaking out every time it thundered because we're expecting Thor to bust the door down, throw Loki over his shoulder, and run away before Shawn can get properly wound up about the door being busted down again."

"You can't tell me that doesn't bother you!" the teleporter snarked, giving his doughnut a stab with the rounded tip of his spoon. "When Steve just up and kicked it down because he thought Tony had a legitimate reason to be screaming, _three squirrels_ tried to break in, and Fluffernutter nearly escaped, and Eric would have thrown a hissy fit if that happened. You tell me what isn't annoying about having to wait for stupid agents to find someone to repair the damned door!"

When Selvig had finished his second doughnut, and Loki his, the scientist took his lover by the hand and led him into the living room, away from the politics of having broken doors and non-broken doors. The kidlets, as Clint had called them, were right where they had been left, playing with a myriad of colorful toys on the floor, dividing their attention between their game of make-believe and the cartoons they had settled on for the nonce. And Jorry was still reading away, chewing his lip just like Loki did when he was deep into a book. Adorable. Selvig dropped onto the floor to play with the kids while Loki joined their little bookworm, summoning the giant book on comparative government he had chosen, along with eleven others, the last time they were at the bookstore. Why the god wanted to read things like that Selvig did not know, but he seemingly had an infinite capacity for learning. Yet another reason to love him dearly.

"No regrets?" Selvig questioned lightly as he accepted the robot Fen shoved into his hand, trying to puzzle out what exactly the kids were doing so he could join in without getting an annoyed lecture from Hel about playing the "right way".

Loki lifted his head from the book, one eyebrow raised. Then he softened and smiled, shaking his head slowly. "In the beginning, I was anxious about opening myself up, Erik, but you made me believe in being able to love someone again. If _he_ does show up, I'll tell him just the same and send him on his way. I wouldn't lose you for that foolish man no matter what lies he spins to draw me in. I've learned well. I've had a good teacher." A wink was tipped to him, and Selvig flushed with delight. "The letter he sent was prettily worded, but the proof is in his actions. He promised me so much, and he never made good on any of it. And you have given me everything you have promised and more."

Both of their gazes moved to the little silver emerald ring glimmering on Loki's finger, modest yet expensive, thanks to S.H.I.E.L.D. and their seemingly endless supply of money. They had been together for only six months, but Selvig firmly believed they were both mature enough to understand the enormity of their decision to become engaged. When autumn faded away, and the unpleasant gold and red leaves were gone, and winter came, they were going to marry. Not a large ceremony. A small one with some select S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, the team, and a few friends. Certainly no huge Asgardian ceremony, but it would be full of love.

Even if Thor showed up now, it was far too late. Selvig saw that in the loving way Loki smiled at him before returning to his book. He had said he would come to Earth and prove his love, and he never had. In over six months, he had not come. And it was becoming quite clear he would not come. Loki had moved on, and the team had moved on, and Jane had moved on as well. The prince was no longer needed on Earth. No longer _wanted_ for that matter. They had all found happiness of a sort despite suffering some pain and heartache, and Thor had missed it all.

But they did not miss him. Not at all.


	3. Chapter Two

**Author's Note: I just wanted to thank all of you lovely people who are story alerting and author alerting. It makes my day to know you're excited for what comes next. Remember to review so I know what you guys think, and feel free to ask any questions you may have concerning the story. I'll answer any of them. Right now we have the second chapter, just as long as chapter one. I hope you enjoy.**

* * *

**Ambiguous**

**Chapter Two**

After breakfast, the apartment took on its usual routine, one the lot of them had become comfortable with since they had all settled in to accepting each other's differences and presences. Loki sat on the loveseat beside Jorry and read, gazing up from his book every now and often to watch Selvig play with his little ones. _Their_ little ones. Just thinking about the fact their wedding was mere months away made his heart flutter. And, once they had settled back into life after the honeymoon, Selvig was filing the paperwork to formally adopt all five of Loki's children, and since the forms would go through S.H.I.E.L.D., it would take all of one day to approve them. They were already a true family, but there was something exciting about knowing they were only a few forms away from being seen as such.

It was plausible to believe Selvig was worried about Thor returning, but Loki could not honestly be bothered to care about the prospect of his brother's return. He had made his choice. When Thor had not come for him, he had cast away his preconceived notion the golden prince loved him. And as he healed and his heart opened up, he realized he wanted Selvig in his life. Had ever since he had fallen to Midgard—Earth—and met the charming scientist. He had always been slightly overprotective around the mortal, but the dynamic altered when they agreed to give a relationship a chance.

Selvig had become protective of _him_, incredibly, and he found it endearing. Kept a firm arm around him when they were in the city together and sent smoldering glares at anyone who chanced an unwelcome glance at Loki's body. Kindly but firmly sent anyone, man or woman, away when they attempted to speak to Loki in one of the numerous dance clubs they had entered with the rest of the team for fun. Danced close to him, suavely but steadfastly keeping others at bay when they tried to cut in. Sent waitresses away dismissively if they tried to flirt. And though Natasha had told Loki he should be annoyed to have someone treating him like a fainting damsel, he found it touching. One of his former suitors had been insufferable in his attempts to treat Loki like a princess rather than a prince, but Selvig knew how to do it just right to make it sweet. And besides, since coming to Earth and borrowing dog-eared romance novels from Shawn's extensive collection, he _wanted_ to be romanced. Perhaps he should not want it so much, being a man, but he did. He wanted to be given flowers and be carried from room to room and have someone who refused to share him in any way at all.

He felt a wave of nausea and politely excused himself, moving toward the upstairs bathroom, which was not uncommon since he did value his privacy quite a bit. As soon as he had the door closed, he locked it, flicked on the overhead fan, and fell to his knees as vomit burned up his throat. He gripped the edges of the toilet rim as his stomach seized and forced the food he had eaten out of his body in several hot, steaming volleys. Gods, he hated morning sickness. And he had been doing his best to hide it since he had discovered he was pregnant. He was hardly surprised, seeing as he and Selvig made love at least once every night, often more than once, but he was not ready to tell everyone yet. There was something oddly intimate about having the child just to himself for a little while.

When the vomiting had changed to dry heaves, and the dry heaves to heavy panting, he flushed the toilet and pushed himself to his feet, glad unopened toothbrushes were present in every bathroom. He scrubbed the inside of his mouth with one, wincing at the acrid taste of the artificial mint toothpaste, until there was no way to detect what he had been doing. It was not time to tell Selvig, not yet, and until it was, he had to find a way to keep his baby just to himself. Besides, if he was going to tell his fiancé, he was going to tell the entire apartment, and they were currently busy. Tomorrow would be the best day, since the lot of them had decided on having a movie day just to have some bonding time. Which was code word for snuggling couples and the two single people in the apartment actually watching the movies. But they would all be together, and it would be easy to tell them then. They all already knew he had conceived, carried, and given birth to his other five children, so none of them should be surprised.

Once composed, he returned to the living room and found Steve sitting on the floor as well, sitting back from the kids but nevertheless keeping his eyes focused on Abe. It was adorable to see the super soldier worried about his child, but Loki remembered how it was obsessively watching Hel, and so he understood. The first child was always the hardest. He shook his head fondly as he settled back down with his book, giving his stomach a gentle rub when he was certain no one was watching. Tomorrow, and he would spill the truth.

"It's only a matter of time before we have little Starklets running around the house," Clint announced as he entered the room, flopping across the couch with a tired yawn. "Can you just imagine? Little dark-haired monsters with Eric's weird eyes, lighting everyone on fire and making sarcastic comments unusually brilliant for their age?"

Steve tilted his head back to look at the archer. "They just got together, Hawk. It's kind of early to start assuming they're going to have kids."

"But they will. Just like you and Buck—" And just like that, the Hawk shut up.

"He did not mean to upset you, Captain," Loki offered when he saw the muscles in Steve's jaw tighten. "Do not forget the little bird often fails to recall the pain of others when he is speaking without making full use of his mental capacities. Had he thought first, he would not have brought the sergeant up. And you should not lose hope that Bucky will return to us yet. Though I know how much it broke your heart to have him leave, I am certain he does truly love you."

The captain's head snapped around, and Loki braced himself for the pain-fueled retort. "Just like Thor _truly loved you_, right?"

"Come on, Cap, that was a low blow," Clint said, pushing the soldier's shoulder with a stern frown.

"It was, but I am a big boy, and I can take anything the captain wishes to say to me," Loki said, not losing his easy, happy mood as he regarded the younger man. "If you are still angry at me for giving you the potion, so be it. I do not regret it. You have proven yourself an apt parent to a beautiful son, and when our young Mr. Barnes sorts himself out, he will be at the front door on his knees with flowers, begging you for another chance. It is in his nature. I do not know why he left, but I, as well as the rest of our loving household, know he is not the kind of man to leave his beloved and his child behind. Give him time to sort himself out. When the time is right, he will return."

Steve sighed and deflated, combing his fingers through his hair. "Why do you have to sound so rational? You always sound so coherent on subjects the rest of us are upset on. Your letter to Thor was even well written. Is it something you learn in Asgard?"

"No, I was born with the ability, but we're not speaking about me. You do accept that Sergeant Barnes will eventually return to ask for your favor once again? Have you decided what you'll do?" Loki asked.

"Yes," Steve replied, voice certain despite the ambiguity in his eyes. "I know he will. It's like you said. It's in his nature to come back rather than leave someone behind when he loves them. It's how I can validate risking my life by rescuing him. Because he would do the same for me. But… I don't know. How do I just forgive him for leaving? We had Abe on the way, and I was excited about it because I wanted a baby, but then he didn't believe me, then didn't _want_ to believe, then yelled, then left. How do I forgive that when I don't even know why he left?"

Fen piped up then without ever lifting his head from his toys. "Maybe he was scared."

"What?" Clint asked, furrowing his brows at Loki's only golden-haired child.

"It makes sense," Selvig offered, and Loki raised a brow at his boyfriend, inviting him to continue, perhaps expound upon his statement. "You two had been together for a while. I get it. But, technically, you're both still young. A baby is a big step. A _huge_ one, and since you didn't mention it to him, he had every right to panic when he found out. You should share information with your spouse about things like that first. Loki and I talked about getting engaged and what that would mean for us a long time before I ever gave him the ring. Granted, I had already bought it a few months before, but still. We talked."

Loki felt a flash of guilt and wondered if that was a sign from the gods he should tell the truth instead of attempt to deceive his lover. It would have less punch considering it would be shamefully admitted to, but he had lied to so many people in his life already.

Clint held up a hand. "But that's different. You and Loki are very different from Steve and Bucky. You guys have experience, which changes a lot of things. And I think it's kind of sad you don't take the time to spring romantic crap on each other. Loki wouldn't have told you no just because you didn't have a ten hour discussion on the pros and cons of tying the knot."

"As if Loki has _ever_ told you no, even though you could have waited a little longer to ask him to be yours considering he had _just_ let go of Thor," Steve added.

"I'm not saying every couple should discuss every big step in their lives before they do it," Selvig said, and Loki relaxed instantly. "Yes, we have experience. Talking about the engagement was necessary because I needed to know what steps we were taking regarding _our_ children." As if to punctuate his point, he leaned sideways to press a kiss to the top of Nir's head. "They make our relationship very different from yours because we knew we had to be serious or not do it at all. And that sounds cynical and sad, but it's not. If you have children, you have to seriously take into consideration settling down with someone who wants your children in their life and wants to be in the lives of your children. But it's different with you and Bucky. You were dating basically. Said you loved each other. Didn't get engaged. Didn't even consider the idea. And then you just up and said you were pregnant, and for someone who was not expecting to suddenly have dating turned into parenthood, that can be jarring."

Nodding in agreement, Loki continued on to what his fiancé had said. "When you asked me for the potion, I assumed you had already talked it over with Bucky. Because it is a big decision. I have five children, Steve. I know it's a huge decision, and I didn't have the fathers of my children at my side when I was pregnant. Not that I wanted them to be there, seeing as they are all less than trustworthy, but—"

"Were," Clint corrected with a slight wince.

"Were," Loki echoed, frowning. "What are you talking about?"

Steve swallowed hard, and the trickster sensed an immediate change in the conversation. "Well, you know, it can't be easy extracting four kids from hostile realms."

"Hostile?" Loki demanded. Because he had been told _nothing_ about the archer's little mission with the twins other than it had been rough and made them tired. And he assumed it would be rough, as teleporting large distances could drain Shawn easily.

"Yeah, it was hostile," Clint said, glancing at the kids uneasily. Steve took the hint and convinced them, including Jorry, to follow him upstairs to the playroom so the adults could talk. Once the room was child free, and Loki had Selvig at his side, the archer continued. "These guys you slept with were _mean_ as hell, Loki. Most of them weren't thrilled to hear you wanted your kids back. So we had to fight them. The fire demon guy you had Farfi with was the worst because Shawn was too drained to fight, so it was literally fight fire with fire, and Eric was tired, too. We almost got ourselves killed. But they would have come after us, so we had to… Kill them."

The news was not particularly wounding, considering Loki had not loved a single one of them, but it was startling just the same. He had assumed there had been some struggling, perhaps some battling, but killing? That had never crossed his mind. It probably should have, considering the fact none of the fathers of his children had ever showed up unexpectedly, but he attributed their lack of appearing to the reality they had never loved the children they sired. Once he had had a moment to digest the information, though, he realized he should be thanking Clint and the twins for dealing with four very powerful problems before they could become worse. After all, Farfi's father in particular was a nasty thing, and any of them could have caused significant damage to him and his friends before being defeated. And that would have traumatized his little ones, most of who were old enough to recognize their fathers. Besides, this cleared the way for Selvig to adopt them.

He swallowed hard and lifted his head, gazing at Cliff through his eyes to hide the embarrassment he felt from reacting in such a way. "I thank you, Clint. They would have undoubtedly tried to cause me extreme pain had they come here, and I would be unhappy if they frightened the little ones as a result."

"No need to thank me. I did what I had to do. I'm sure that you'll find a time to make it up to me," Clint said, shrugging. As if he truly had done nothing he considered major.

"Just the same," Selvig said, giving Loki's hand a gentle squeeze. "I thank you, too."

The archer shrugged and swung around on the couch, planting his feet on the floor, just as his special agent boyfriend walked into the living room. "If you want to thank me, do it by just having fun with the kidlets. Like I said, I did what I had to do when I had to do it. No big deal. Nothing to freak out over. Just promise me that if you do lose it and try to take over the world, Loki, you'll be nice enough to not almost kill my boyfriend in the process."

"You have my word," Loki swore, nodding as Coulson sat down.

"What do you have his word on?" the agent asked his lover, draping a casual arm across the hawkeyed man's shoulders.

Clint stuck his tongue out at the older man, then spun back around in his feet, pressing his back to the couch arm so he could rest his long legs in Coulson's lap. It was a common occurrence, and now that the conversation seemed to be over, Loki decided to head upstairs to make sure his children had not found a way to smother Steve. Granted, it would take more to crush him to death than it would to crush Bruce or even Eric, but he used it as an excuse to see his little ones just the same. The playroom was oddly quiet, but when he stuck his head inside and found Jorry reading one of his books, he smiled and returned to the downstairs living room. It had begun to fill up rapidly, he noted, as he returned to sitting beside Selvig. Eric was sitting in the chair he had chosen for him, a monster of a thing with a footstool long and wide enough to seat two people comfortably. Tony and Bruce were chatting animatedly as they tied their shoes, evidently about to head off somewhere, and Shawn was sitting on the floor, picking up the forgotten toys. After saying their goodbyes, the Man of Iron and the beast left.

Eric lifted his head from the screen of his computer, his fingers still tapping away at the keys. "You know, snowflake, if you're sick and need some medicine or something, I'm sure we can find some extra strength stuff at the pharmacy. No need to run upstairs when you need to puke or anything."

"Though I am certain you do possess some great need to attend to me as if I was the Man of Iron, I assure you I do not need any medicine," Loki said, giving the time traveler a look so he would know to drop the subject _now_. "And I also assure you that, if I did need help of any kind, my fiancé is perfectly capable of taking care of me. There is no need to worry about me or my children as long as we have Erik Selvig in our lives, and soon, that will be forever. Do you understand?"

"Yeah, got it. Just let us know. I get that you're marrying K-Man, but that doesn't mean you're not a part of the family," Eric said, returning his eyes to the screen.

The words were sweet to come from the time traveler considering he usually kept such sweet, nearly sappy opinions to himself. Loki flushed slightly at the implication in those words and lowered his head, not in the mood to draw attention to himself. Though Eric was right, Loki was not ready to apologize for his poor choice of words and the fashion in which he spoke them. He had been making great strides since he moved in to Eric's apartment, connecting with everyone and finding his place in the household. Being a mother to the children who had missed him dearly, then a lover to the mortal who did not want to let him go. It was hard. Every day, it was hard. He was used to being overlooked by nearly everyone around him, favored only by his mother and devalued because Thor was the crown prince, the future king. Being in a world where that would not happen, and could not happen, was still new to him. He suspected it would be years before he was ever comfortable with it. It was nothing like he was accustomed to, an readjusting after a millennium was a complex and long journey. He hoped he would reach the destination eventually, but until then, he was still laboring to take every step.

"I'm sorry," he finally forced out, and he felt everyone look at him. It was the first time he had said the words since coming to Midgard for sanctuary, and they felt almost bittersweet on his tongue. "I know I am a part of the family you have created here in your home, and I wish it was easier for me to believe that. I'm just not familiar with it."

Coulson sighed softly, and Loki lifted his burning face to meet the agent's gaze. "That's what we've wanted you to say. And we're here for you. Like Eric said. Part of the family. But you have to _talk_."

"Are you sure you want to go down this road? It will make disliking me rather difficult," Loki said, trying for a smile and barely coming close.

"Yeah, hold on." Eric turned around in his seat. "Tasha! We're going to have a sappy, angst-ridden moment, and I demand you be in here to see it."

After a moment, the Black Widow joined them, perching on the edge of the couch arm behind Clint. "Angst-ridden moment about what? And where is everyone? I thought all the kids were down here playing with toys and Bugs Bunny."

"His name is Fluffernutter, thank you very much, and Steve took them up to the playroom so we can have grown-up time. And Tony and Bruce went to go buy the gods know what for the lab. Now. Sit so Loki can talk," Eric snipped.

"Well, like I said, I am not familiar with being part of a family." When Natasha snorted softly, Loki straightened up and fixed her with what he hoped was a cold gaze. "My _family_ was never mine. Perhaps, in this realm, you adopt children because you want them, but I was adopted to fill a role. I was the son of Odin's greatest enemy, and I was to be placed on the enemy throne after being raised to be an obedient little subservient fool. That was why he took me. And in case you all missed the memo, as your saying goes, I might have died yet if your time traveler had not convinced my true father not to kill me when I was a child. Even he did not want me. Because I was small and weak, and on Jotunheim, those are traits not to be forgiven."

His words were cold, but his face was heating again, and he suspected the hawkeyed man would never let him down for blushing so. But all of them were staring at him raptly, and so he hoped some of his words were being absorbed. Hoped his new family would understand.

Drawing in a shaking breath and squeezing Selvig's hand tightly for comfort, he continued. "I found out after Thor had been banished. That I was never Odin's son. That I never could be. That he did not love me. But I knew growing up that things were different. Everyone always fawning over Thor, the _golden child_, while I stood by and watched. No matter what I did, he did something better. His skill in battle was superior to my magic. It sickened me."

"Wait, so, they were proud of him for learning to do something everyone was taught, but they didn't care that you could do something that you're just born with?" Shawn inquired, lifting his head from the pile of blocks in his lap, eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"Yes. That is how Asgard works," Loki confirmed, pleased to see both Natasha and Clint looked guilty. Good. They should be. "I was shunted aside for Thor by everyone but my mother. She favored me over him. And when I had my children, Odin sent them away so I would never see in them what I could not yet see in himself. I knew not that I was of Jotun blood until a battle in Jotunheim only moments before Odin told me himself. To make sure my children never displayed a trait that did not belong to their fathers, but rather to a Jotun prince, he sent them away. All five of them. And I begged on my hands and knees for him to let me raise them, and he did not. You asked, Tasha, why they were spread out so much, and I did not tell you then. I am telling you now. The man masquerading as my father did it."

Coulson whistled. "The guy sounds like a bastard."

"Odin was never that harsh to me, but hey, I only saw him all of two times. I don't really know the guy that well. But your brother. He pulled hair," Eric said, pulling a face.

"And you lived with that?" Selvig asked, and Loki turned stinging eyes to his fiancé, reminding himself yet again he had never told Selvig the true story of why he had done the things he did. Never told him about being pushed aside or devalued or that Odin had taken the little ones away. "He treated you like that and walked all over you, and you just took it?"

The trickster swallowed hard and turned his face away, trying not to break down. Not now while he was trying to make everyone understand. "I had to. Where was I going to go? What was I going to do? I had no one besides my mother, and she is the queen of Asgard. She could not leave. But what I did…"

He filled them in on the story of what he did in Asgard, from the plotting he had spent months on to the moment he released his hold on his scepter and fell into the black hole the destruction of the Bifrost had created. Letting the words spill out and brushing the tears away when they came. And he told them why he did it, and how beautiful it was to hold Jorry in his arms for the first time, to bring his son back to Asgard and know he would never have to leave, and it was worth it. He tried to bring that point home most of all. It was worth it. Though he had killed his birth father and tried to kill Thor, he held that it was meaningful because he wanted to help his children, and he would not let that point go. By the time he completed his speech, his throat was tight, and his cheeks were wet with tears. It was worth it, but he was ashamed just the same, and the two emotions were pulling him in two different directions, and he did not know what to do about either of them.

"You thought you were going to be dead when you let go, and you still did it. Did you really think your mom was going to take care of your son?" Clint asked, a hint of doubt lacing his words.

"Of course she would." Loki snapped the words automatically, disliking the way the archer spoke of his mother. Frigga Allmother was nothing but warm and special and loving, and she had protected Jorry until Loki had been dragged back to Asgard. "If I was dead, she had all of the reason in the world to guard her grandson with her life. Unlike my father and my idiotic brother, she loved each of my children and sided with me on keeping them in Asgard. As far as they knew, I was dead. And she blamed him and Thor for my death and protected Jorry more fiercely than any foul beast from any realm because he was all she had left of me, and he is so much like me. Had either of them tried to touch my son while I was here, I firmly believe she would have ripped them limb from limb and left them to bleed to death on the palace steps for all of the city to see."

Eric whistled lowly. "You know, Richard was a jerk and everything, and I still hate the guy with everything in me, but he only manipulated me until I found the adoption papers. I can't believe Odin had that intricate lie going for a thousand years. I mean, I thought he'd tell you."

"But you know what?" Shawn asked, snatching Fluffernutter off of the floor and plopping the damnable rabbit in his lap.

"No, I do not know," Loki replied automatically. "You'll have to tell me."

The teleporter stood and dropped the puffball in Loki's lap, and for once, the puffball did not emit a terrified rabbit scream and bolt for the nearest dark corner. "None of that matters anymore because you're part of this family now. And we've all done things we're not proud of, but you know what? We're not holding any of it against you. You're family. And family means that, when you say sorry and mean it, we say we forgive you and mean it. Besides, I can see your point of view on pretty much all of that, and I can't say I wouldn't do the same thing. So welcome to the family, Loki, and take as much time as you need to get used to it. You've got forever because we'll never make you leave."

Loki nodded and lowered his head, losing his battle with tears and wondering why his pregnancy hormones always began so rapidly. He stroked his fingers through Fluffernutter's fur and saw why the children liked the rabbit so much, what with its silky soft fur and inquisitive little face. And somehow, that realization made him smile through the tears, and then he laughed. Laughed happily, freely, and wondered when the last time he had been able to laugh in such a way was. He leaned into Selvig's offered embrace and cried and laughed, and Fluffernutter stayed thankfully quiet, which was lovely because rabbit screams were insufferable. And he let himself be held. And when the embrace turned into an unexpected group hug, he let it happen. Let it happen because he was tired of being stepped on and running away, and he was ready to be a part of a true family again. Ready to be a part of something spectacular and simple and complex and beautiful.

And when Natasha broke up the hug, claiming it was getting too mushy, he laughed again and wondered why he had been so nervous to let himself be a part of the odd group in the house. Truly, they were unique and wonderful and interesting individuals, and more than that, they understood him.

Somehow, that was best of all. And he knew that, when his baby was born, the child would be born into a household full of love, laughter, and joy.

It was too bad Thor was missing out on all of it.


	4. Chapter Three

Ambiguous

Loki Laufeyson x Erik Selvig; Loki Laufeyson x Thor Odinson

**Ambiguous**

**Chapter Three**

"He is to be married." Thor said the words emptily as he stood at the edge of the Bifrost beside Heimdall, staring out into the dark beauty of the cosmos. "And he is carrying the man's child. Could you have told me a piece of happy news, or is it all dark in Midgard?"

His tone was wry as he turned away from the stars, sucking in a breath and squeezing his eyes closed at the thought of Loki in another man's arms. Ever since he had received the letter from his brother, he had been unable to think of anything but his beloved, and it was beginning to strain him. His father was pushing him to marry Sif, and though he knew it would be good for the throne of Asgard, he could not bring himself to do it, could not betray Loki in such a way. But it seemed Loki had moved on. Thor scolded himself for putting his visit to Midgard off for so long, but what choice did he have? Asgard could not be left without an heir, not again, not when it could easily fall into the hands of the enemy in his absence. But he could not delay any longer. Not when it was apparent Loki was about to be taken away from him by the man he had once called friend. As if he could ever trust Selvig now, when he knew the man was preparing to take his love away from him. No. He would have to ruin Selvig's life in order to bring Loki home to Asgard, but so be it. He would do it. Loki was his and his alone, and once he brought the young prince back to Asgard, they would be wed.

And once they were wed, he would declare Loki's children his own and name Hel as the heir to the throne of Asgard, the first queen to ever take the throne with a prince consort instead of a king. His people would rejoice when they saw how beautiful and strong and brilliant their queen would be, and Loki would be welcomed back with open arms. And even if he was not, Loki would still be his consort, and the people would see they were wrong. That it was their teasing and their shunning of the dark prince that led to his madness, and now that he was home, he would be calmer. Kinder. The first prince consort of Asgard, and he would be the perfect ruler.

The palace of Asgard would no longer be dull, but golden once again as Loki's children, _their_ children, ran through its halls and played in its garden. And they could have more. Thor was a fair man and would be a gentle husband, and when Selvig's child was born, he would declare himself the father and accept the child without prejudice. Once Loki was well-rested and prepared to have another child, they would, and there would be no one to contest their love or the strength of their bond. They had been raised together, taught together, fought together, and would love together. Two pieces of the same puzzle, carved and chiseled and cut so they fit only each other, and every realm would see it. They would make treaties to end the wars, and Loki's wit would keep them in power, ably convincing every ruler to agree to the terms of the treaties. It would be perfect. Flawless. Thor could do it, but first, he had to find a way to bring Loki home without the Avengers following. As much as he loved his friends, they were a part of the past he had to be willing to let go.

Thor gazed at the length of the rainbow bridge, wondering how long it would be until Loki walked along it with him. Because that would be the way to do it. Arrange a lavish, beautiful wedding, and walk his true love along the bridge to the palace where the ceremony would take place. Flowers of every color draped over every available service. Green and silver and red and gold banners woven through the walls and hanging from every surface that would hold still long enough to be draped. Thor would walk through the main street of the city to the palace, and he would turn, and Loki would be led to him, flushed and excited and nervous all at the same time. And when they swore to give their lives to each other and sealed the pact with a kiss, the streets would come alive with the screams and cheers of his people, their people, and Loki's children would run around their feet and sprinkle little rose petals around them as they walked through the city before returning to the palace. And Lady Sif and the Warriors Three would kneel before them and swear allegiance to the throne of Asgard, as would every warrior and member of the Asgardian army.

Heimdall's deep voice interrupted the flow of Thor's thoughts. "The wedding will not be until later, when the leaves have faded away and the snow falls on their realm. It is what Loki wants. You have time if you wish to reclaim him."

"He waits until my colors are bleached from the mortal world. He waits until we can tell his husband he loves him without being reminded of me," Thor mumbled, glaring down at his boots.

"That is true," Heimdall said, and Thor lifted his head to find the Guardian watching him with those mysterious, glowing, amber eyes. "He still misses you. Still tries to convince himself his feelings for you are faded from his heart, but one must only look at his actions to know that is not true. He is desperate for love and acceptance, my prince, and he will do anything he must to find it. You know well that our dark prince has always longed for love and felt he never received it."

_Such true, bittersweet words_, Thor mused as he released a large breath he did not realize he had been holding. "I do not know whether to feel insulted, guilty, or flattered."

"Loki loves deeply, so even I cannot see which of those emotions fits the situation best," Heimdall said.

"You once shared my brother's bed, did you not?" Thor felt bitter jealousy flare in the pit of his chest at his own words, but he kept his anger contained when Heimdall nodded. Now was not the time for anger or envy, not when he was so close to losing Loki. Only two weeks remained until the snow would begin in Midgard. Only two weeks to bring Loki home. "I was informed after Loki left us… Mother told me. What happened that the affair dissolved? I may not have your eyes, Heimdall, but I have seen each of Loki's children, and none of them bear your dark skin or golden gaze. From this, I presume the affair ended before he began coupling with every man that turned a glance upon him."

The dark god nodded slowly. "Do not be so quick to judge your brother. If you should so turn your love to him, then it would be in your best interest to forgive whatever crimes you still hold against him and move on. Forgiveness is the key to leaving past pain behind, and if you attempt to carry your pain into a relationship with Loki, he will sense it on you and run as he did before. None can win the heart of the ice prince without forgiving him for his past mistakes. That is why Selvig has been successful thus far."

Biting his lower lip to hold in the anguished cry filling his throat, Thor nodded once, jerkily, before stalking out of the Bifrost and starting toward the palace. He was exhausted. There had been a rebel insurrection on Vanaheim, and he and the warriors had been called in to remedy the situation, which had left him fatigued as well as sick of royalty and people and all that must be done to keep people from slaughtering each other. He only wanted to sleep, to lay down in bed and rest and dream of beautiful, lissome little Loki until he was forced to awaken. Gods, but Asgard had become dull and gray and lifeless, and the food tasted sour and drab on his tongue. Even the golden apples of Idunn, long since known to be the sweetest and most tender fruit in any of the nine realms, had no taste. Perhaps they never had. Perhaps none of Asgard had even existed until Loki had arrived, because gods, Thor was too young to remember a time when Loki was not there. And he had loved Loki fiercely, defended him from the other boys when they tried to pick on his brother, taught Loki to walk, to speak. He still loved Loki, not that the little ice prince would ever believe him.

He had just stepped into the throne room of the palace, preparing to tell his mother and father he was going to bed, when he realized he had stumbled upon something. Three people stood before his father's throne, one of them speaking, but she fell silent when his presence was noticed. And though he had never seen her before, he knew what she was. Though the Fire Sprites of Muspelheim had long since learned to use the power of glamour to appear as the Aesir or the Midgardians, there was no mistaking the garb. The woman was petite with a heart-shaped face and midnight hair that tumbled down her back to her small waist, tied back with an orange silk scarf. She wore a red chemise, the material covering her breasts solid while the material over her abdomen was thin enough to see her pale flesh through. Red trousers as well, the material loose and billowy, and she wore an assortment of orange and gold scarves of silk and satin. Her eyes, darkest green, blazed with a hidden fire, and had she been in her natural form, he suspected the room would be too hot to be in. She was lovely, as most Fire Sprites were, but she was dangerous, and he would do well not to forget that.

"My apologies, milady. I was not aware we had visitors and would not have intruded upon your discussion with my father had I known you were here," he said automatically, bowing at the waist.

"You have no need to apologize to me, Prince Thor, but I do appreciate your presence," she said, waving him closer and waiting until he had taken stance beside Odin's throne. "I am the Princess Jada of Muspelheim, here to request your help in retrieving my brother from Midgard so that he may return home to Jotunheim."

The coincidence was hard to ignore, and the young men behind here surely could have been Jotuns disguised by her glamour. Though both of them were reasonably short for Frost Giants. Usually, glamour could not disguise the height of the Jotuns, and the two men behind her, though taller, were shorter than Thor. Both dark-haired and dark-eyed, skin as pale as moonlight, and the resemblance between the three of them was remarkable. He could also see pieces of Loki as well, from the green shade of Jada's eyes to the thinness of her brothers' lips to the way they held themselves with all of the grace and stance of wildcats. So much like Loki. How quaint they would choose to arrive to request help in retrieving Loki from Midgard when he was planning to do so as well.

He shook his head slowly and locked eyes with the princess. "Though I am certain you miss the brother you could not have known about for long, Loki Odinson will return to Asgard, and I plan on taking his hand in marriage as soon as possible."

"You have spoke not of this to either me or your mother," Odin said, brow furrowed, but Jada only laughed and stepped forward, scarves swishing around her.

"As I would expect from a man who desires my little brother so greatly," she said, and Thor suddenly wondered furiously if she had been speaking to Heimdall before he had. Lord knows a Fire Sprite had a way with words, and she might even share a silver tongued talent with Loki. "And though I am sure your love for Loki is as great as I have heard, Jotunheim needs a king, and neither of my brothers knows enough to rule properly. One acts as king while the other advises, but they are not ready. And so when I discovered Loki _Laufeyson_ was on Midgard, I wanted to bring him home, but I thought it would be best to ask for your assistance so there are no misunderstandings between us and the mortals. And besides, the Bifrost truly is the best way to travel."

Thor cleared his throat and leveled his gaze with hers. "Something in me says you have been speaking to our Gatekeeper before I returned home. Would I be wrong in this assumption, Jada, or have you attempted to bewitch Heimdall?"

"Though your Guardian is more than suitable for a Fire Sprite, I have not yet attempted to sway him to leave Asgard and join me in Muspelheim if that is what you are referring to, Thor. Had I already done so, I would be in Midgard convincing Loki to leave his foolish life with the mortal and return to the kingdom of Jotunheim to return it to its former glory," Jada said simply, narrowing her eyes at him.

"If anyone is going to bring Loki back from Midgard, it will be _me_, and he will be coming to Asgard to take my hand as my prince consort," he argued, no longer caring she was dangerous or that she was most likely as strong as he was despite her small size. Or that she claimed to be Loki's older sister, which could make her older than him. "I can offer him the love and security he needs to draw himself away from the darkness and shadows haunting him, and I can give his children, _our_ children, the life they need and more love than they will know what to do with. Loki is coming home, to _Asgard_, where he has always been wanted and loved and cared for. Something his _father_ would know nothing about."

Jada laughed again, a lusty sound. "If you think to use Laufey's mistake against me, feel free. He was my father as well, and had my mother not wanted me, I would have been cast away much as darling little Loki was, but now, his people need him, and his _family_, his true and blood _family_, wants him. Had I known of his existence before now, I would have been in Asgard long before you allowed him to fall into a black hole created by your former Bifrost. As it is, you Aesir hide all of your shame away and hope only that no one will discover it. But you made a mistake in allowing Loki to escape to Midgard because, there, I was able to learn all I needed to know about Loki. His magic. His strength. The fact his skin is Jotun blue just under his glamour. He is a true king, and just because Laufey could not see it does not mean it is untrue. And it will be proven when we take Loki to Asgard and name him king."

"You are mad if you believe I will allow you to take Loki away from me!" Thor's voice rose to a crashing shout, and the sky overhead crackled in warning.

"Call me mad if you wish, God of Thunder, but I will return Loki to his proper home with or without your help." Jada's glamour melted away, and the room filled with a choking heat that made Thor's skin slick with sweat within seconds. Her pale skin was suddenly of a deepest crimson, her hair a mane of living flames, and when she lifted one hand, an orb of fire materialized, floating just above the skin of her palm. "Midgard is a fragile realm, as you well know, and it would not take much to cause a significant amount of damage in order to bring Loki home. And trust me when I say I am not afraid to cause that damage to bring him home. You brag of your great love for my brother, and yet he is on Midgard, preparing to wed a mortal you called your friend at one time. Where is the love for my brother than supposedly exists as an immortal flame inside of your heart, Thor Odinson? Where was it when Loki needed it? Where was it before he burned your _letter_?"

The mention of the letter sent Thor's anger into overdrive, and he bounded the few steps between him and the princess. Before he could land a solid blow on Jada, he was being thrown backward into the wall, his breath rushing out of his chest. One of the Jotuns had thrown him by only lifting a hand, no doubt using magic so much like Loki's to do the deed. Jada had returned to her glamorized form, unruffled by the situation and looking pleased with her brother.

Odin's voice rose in the room, and Thor forced himself to listen to his father's words as he slid down to the floor, drawing in slow breaths and trying to ignore the pain in his back. "Whether or not my son chooses to help you in your quest, Princess Jada, Loki cannot return to Jotunheim. If the Jotuns were to discover that he had killed their former king, he could be killed, and there would be little you could do to stop it. And if Thor's _proposition_ is true, than Asgard must honor it. And Asgardian marriage law says a man is sworn to protect his wife against all costs. Thor would be forced to leave Asgard for Jotunheim, and though we are a hardy people, the Aesir cannot lost in the wastelands of Jotunheim."

"Jotunheim is far from a wasteland, Allfather. Now that our father has been removed from the throne, we have been making vast amounts of changes to our land, and it has worked well. You would not know Jotunheim if you came to visit us now," the brother who had thrown Thor said softly.

"Ice and stone is hardly how our people would prefer to live," the other brother added, and Thor realized, startled, that the men's eyes were green as well, a shade so dark and velvety it was near black, but he could see they were green. "We have made changes, and though Jotunheim is cold, your Aesir prince would be quite comfortable there."

Once he was confident he would be able to stand without showing a sign of weakness from the attack, Thor stood and returned to his father's side, ducking his head at the disappointed look Odin gave him. "We speak of these things, but in truth, should we not bring Loki here first, at least to speak to him? If he does not want to rule Jotunheim, he will not, and you know this. He does nothing he does not want to do no matter what it is. It is why it was so difficult to convince him to walk or talk when he was a young child. He simply did not want to. If my king allows it, I will aid you in your quest to retrieve Loki Odinson from Midgard. But we will take his feelings into consideration over his options, and we will go from there. Neither of us will force him into anything."

"I have no problem with this. Besides, it would give me such a lovely amount of time with which to entrance your Guardian. He is quite… sizzling himself," Jada said, smiling devilishly, and she looked so much like Loki then it made Thor's stomach hurt.

"If your only intentions are to return Loki to Asgard, then I have no qualm with allowing you to assist the princess and her brothers," Odin said, voice weary, and Thor could sense his father was so _done_ with everything, as Clint would have said. "Be quick about it if you can. Do not take unnecessary time in Midgard, and do not dally with the mortals. If you truly want to rule Asgard one day, you must return to her. If you do not return, I will assume you have abdicated the throne and will find another heir, and you will be unable to return to Asgard. Do you understand?"

Thor nodded once. "I understand, Father. Fully. We shall rest here, and on the morrow, we will go to Midgard. I am sure the Lady Jada would prefer some time to say her farewells to her new _companion_ since it is uncertain how long it will take to bring Loki home. It could be a week or two before he agrees, and I am sure she will miss him."

"It would be nice to tell your dear Gatekeeper farewell in the most proper way," Jada admitted slyly.

"You and your brothers will stay within the palace, but I would think it wise to keep your identity a secret from my people as they do not take kindly to Frost Giants or Fire Sprites due to the wars we have had with your people," Odin said, standing slowly, gripping his staff tightly. It was obvious to Thor his father was in pain, but whether it was physical or emotional, he could not guess. "If you must speak to Heimdall, Lady Jada, I would prefer that you both keep an eye out for anyone or anything that may be coming for Asgard and, if it is within your skill level, kill it. Tomorrow, you will depart just as daylight is arriving. Heimdall with have instruction to open the Bifrost for you, and you will go to Midgard. When you need return, Thor will bring you back with Mjolnir. Is there anything else you need?"

Jada shook her head slowly. "I assure you that my brothers and I are ably armed. As did Loki, we learned our fighting skills worked best with small blades and our own magic. And if the need arises, we can rip away our glamour and reveal the true strength of our hidden forms. No force in Midgard can defeat us."

Her words were brave, but Thor kept his opinion to himself on whether there were forces in Midgard that could defeat Jada and her brothers. After all, though she probably knew who the Avengers were, she was not present when Thor had worked with them to defeat the Chitauri. Or perhaps she was, watching from a position he had not seen, watching the action unfold. Did she know them, their names, the powers they had? He hoped not. Because when they descended to Midgard, he had every intention of making sure she and her brothers never laid hands on Loki. The only one who would do that was him.

When his "guests" excused themselves to retire for the evening, a servant leading the brothers one way while Jada no doubt hurried to speak to Heimdall, Thor retired to his quarters, intending to speak to his mother. The only one of them who had truly loved Loki without fail and had seen through all of his anger and pain and suffering, and forgave him of it all. No matter what atrocity he committed against his family or the realm of Asgard, Loki could do no wrong in her eyes, and even after he had fallen through the cosmos, she had faithfully watched Jormungandr until Loki came to reclaim his child. Thor was slightly jealous of their relationship because it was far deeper, far more profound than that which he shared with his father, but he would not change it for anything. Loki had needed someone to love him as he was growing up, someone to treat him as Odin treated Thor, and Frigga had stepped in to do so. He suspected she had always loved Loki more, but he could be wrong.

She was in her chambers, brushing her hair with the silver brush Loki had given her years ago, singing a lullaby Thor had never heard before. One most likely sung to his brother because, while Thor did not have nightmares often, Loki did. And so he had been comforted by their mother nearly every night.

"Mother, I must speak with you," he said as he entered the room, wishing he had removed his armor first. Better to look less intimidating when he was preparing to tell her he wanted to wed her beloved son. After all, perhaps she would not want him to wed Loki. Perhaps she did not trust him with Loki's heart, and though it hurts to think of, it was a possibility.

Frigga lowered the brush in her hand and placed it back on the table before her. "I am listening."

"It is about Loki," Thor said uneasily, noticing the ice in her voice as it was directed at him. He had let her son fall into the stars, presumably dead. Had dragged Loki back to Asgard, to the dungeons that waited for him, and her dear grandson had been down there as well. In the dark, dank, cold cells, and would still be if she had not made it clear Thor needed to free his brother. And she had also made it clear he was not to follow when Fandral suddenly disappeared one night, as if he knew where the damnable charmer had gone to. "His sister and brothers have come to request my help in retrieving him from Midgard, and I have agreed to do so."

"Why must you seek to destroy the life he tries to build himself?" The question was sharp, but her voice remained cool, removed, as she returned to brushing her hair.

Thor swallowed hard and lowered his gaze to the floor, unused to such coldness from his warm, welcoming mother. Perhaps it was true that she loved only Loki. Many had whispered it behind his back, after all. Did they see where he was blind? "I do not seek to destroy anything. I seek instead to bring him home and name him as my prince consort and husband. And to claim his children as my own and set his daughter upon the throne when I leave it."

"Forgive me, Thor, but you do not _think_ when you make these foolish plans for yourself," she said, setting the brush on the table firmly enough that the sound of impact echoed in the room. "Loki has a man who wishes to wed him and loves him deeply, and Loki loves him in return. This man is already prepared to be a father to his children and to have more with him. To give Loki the life he has always desired and more, and you arrogantly and selfishly wish to ruin everything for him so he has no one left but you. How is that fair to him? How can it be what he wants? Everyone always assumes they know what is best for him, that he should never know he is a Frost Giant or that he should return to Asgard or that he should be returned to Jotunheim to live amongst his own kind. Has it occurred to you he may be happy? Maybe he does not want you in his life."

"You always worried for him but never for me. It has made me wonder if you love me as much as you love him." Thor did not mean to voice the words aloud, but they came regardless, and he did want to know if there was any truth to his own thoughts.

His mother sighed and stood, turning to face him and holding her hands out, spreading them as if in a helpless gesture. "You grew up with everything you could ever want, Thor. Everything. You were fearless and brave and not afraid of any enemies, and for this, you were favored and loved and adored. But Loki was not. He was weaker, darker, quieter, and he was not a warrior. He would sit with me in the gardens and learn to sing and read about spells and magic, and no one cared for him. What would have happened to him if I did not learn to love him more?"

"So you do love him more." Thor was stunned to find himself correct in his thinking, surprised even more so when Frigga confirmed his thoughts without apology. "You always have?"

"I have," she said, and he detected it. A hint of apology. But not much.

He swallowed hard and folded his arms across his chest, his eyes burning into hers, and forced out his words despite the catch in his throat. "I love him as well, though I am not adept at showing it. Do I not deserve to present him with my love so that he may know he has options other than Selvig?"

"But I know you, and I know you will do far more than present him with your love," Frigga said, sitting on the edge of the bed she shared with Odin. "You will force him to see it, and when he hesitates in his reaction, you will laugh at him and make fun or him or yell at him and try to bend him to your will. And it will wound him even more deeply than knowing you waited until he was happy to attempt to take him. You may say what you wish, but I know you received his letter months ago, and you waited long to answer, then did not do what you promised him you would do. You lied to him."

"Perhaps I was afraid," Thor snapped, losing his patience. She was his mother, and she was supposed to love him, to feel sympathy for him, but she did not. She felt nothing for him because she had turned all of her love away from him long ago. And it _hurt_.

Frigga stood and rested her hand on his cheek, her normally warm brown eyes chips of dark ice. "Loki has always been afraid of losing you, Thor, and if you were too blind to see it, you are as stupid as you are blind. You have waited so long to take him from Midgard that I fear you will be too late, and you will have your foolish heart broken. And you will break his as well."

She turned away from him before he could reply, but he sensed he had learned all he would from her. As he had grown, he had never seen her love Loki more, but now he saw it. Saw it in the lines of her body as she sank back down before her table, reaching for the brush, the gift from her most beloved child, her _only_ beloved child. And he knew he would have to bring Loki to Asgard now. Not just for him, but for her as well.


	5. Chapter Four

**Ambiguous**

**Chapter Four**

The sight of his quietest, most reserved son cuddling a rabbit warmed Loki's heart as he tucked the boy into bed. It was not unusual for one of his children to fall asleep with Fluffernutter tucked against their chest, but there was something sweet about it every time he caught a glimpse of it. Luckily enough, the rabbit refrained from screaming as he was snuggled and tucked into bed, despite the fact the child holding him could morph into a huge snake on a whim. Loki knelt down and kissed Jorry on the forehead, then turned off the lamp on his son's bedside table and left the room. Jorry was already half-asleep before Loki left the room, and he thanked the stars none of the children had been affected by his correspondence with Thor. They would never know how much Loki had lost in his attempt to bring them to Asgard, and he hoped to keep it that way. Yes, he had made mistakes, and he deserved to pay for those mistakes, but his little ones would not. He would do anything to protect them from anyone and everyone who tried to harm them no matter what it cost him, and he had made his peace with killing people for the greater good long ago.

He entered his bedroom and closed the door softly behind him, turning to find Selvig sitting on their bed, reading one of his science books. One Loki himself had read through the night before when his comparative government text had begun to lull him to sleep. It was about anti-matter and the stars, something he knew well, and on occasion, he had manipulated anti-matter in his spells. Dangerous, yes, but he had enjoyed the results when everything came out all right.

Loki stretched his arms over his head, then swiftly removed his shirt and pants, crawling into bed beside Selvig and nuzzling his fiancé's shoulder. If he was going to be called a rabbit, he was going to act like a rabbit, and after all, everyone loved the sickeningly cute, fluffy little things. Selvig chuckled and marked his place in the book, then tossed the book on the floor and turned to place a kiss on the tip of Loki's nose. A warm hand slid along Loki's thigh to gently grip his hip, tugging him closer until their lips met softly in the middle. Before, kisses with other men had triggered a dominant side in Loki he did not know existed, perhaps his Jotun side, and he had always fought. Fought with teeth and tongue and lips, making his partner work so achieve something as simple as reaching the inside of his mouth, but he never wanted to fight with Selvig. Something in the man made him relax the night of their first kiss, give in to the sweet sensation of being held and kissed and caressed.

"You did good by talking today," Selvig murmured in his hear, arms sliding around Loki, spilling him into the scientist's lap. The one place in all of Midgard he would never leave, even if given the chance. "Even Tasha finally came around, I think. I'm proud of you."

Though Loki had long known Selvig loved him, those words made his stomach tighten and flutter with glee. No one had ever told him they were proud of him, and knowing that Selvig was only strengthened Loki's resolve that he had made the correct decision in choosing the scientist over Thor. Thor had never been proud of him. Never would be. He hummed softly and buried his face against Selvig's neck, feeling callused hands stroke over his back, trace the line of his spine, and he shivered. It felt so good to be touched again, to be stroked and caressed as if he was a precious creature, to be loved and wanted and _needed_, not just as a mother but as a lover. And gods, when Selvig touched his back so gently, it took everything in him not to fall on his back with his legs open. His back was so sensitive to touch, especially his spine, and he always melted when his lovers rubbed his back. It had been the only reason why he and Svaoilfari had coupled more than once in the lush forests of Asgard. Svao's strong hands had known how to knead and massage his back until he was gasping and whimpering, spilling the scent of his arousal in the air until their bodies were wedded once again.

"I tried my best. I really do want to feel like I belong," he admitted, writhing against Selvig's chest as a wave of desire wound tight in his stomach. He wanted to be touched, stroked, petted until he was a mess of nerves and need, and then taken until he could no longer see through the white nova bursts in front of his eyes.

Selvig chuckled and ran his fingers down the god's spine, and Loki keened softly. "You do belong, Loki. I intend on spending the next couple of hours proving it to you."

Unbidden, from below, Loki's sensitive hearing picked up the distinct sound of the door being kicked down. Recognized it because he had been in the living room when Tony had stepped on Fluffernutter's foot, which made the rabbit scream. And, at the time, Tony had never heard the sound, and it startled him so badly he screamed as well, leading to the good captain kicking the front door off of its hinges. Three squirrels and one rabbit escape attempt later, the door had been repaired, but as stated at breakfast, Shawn had been twitching the entire time and still brought it up, and if he had it in him, Loki was sure the older twin would hold a grudge against Steve for that incident. Loki broke away from his fiancé, biting down hard on his lower lip, skin humming with energy.

"_What in the hell is going on?_" Eric's voice demanded, and Loki moved to yank his pants back on so he could see who had decided to break into the house at nine o' clock at night. "_You of all people know who to use the doorknob. And you could have knocked, you oaf! I would have let you in even _if_ none of us are in the mood to see you_."

_Oh, gods, no,_ Loki thought to himself as he hurried down the stairs, but there was little he could do to still the crackle of energy making the hairs on the back of his neck rise.

He bolted down the last flight of stairs, not entirely surprised to see Jorry standing at the bottom of the stairs, Fluffernutter cradled lovingly in his arms. The rabbit's fur was fluffed up, crackling with static, and Loki paused to pass a soothing, cool hand over Fluffernutter's back. The rabbit was making odd, frightened noises in Jorry's arms, clearly terrified, and Loki used a bit of calming magic to keep Fluffernutter quiet and soothed. In contrast, Jorry was silently regarding the scene in the living room, but then again, he had seen some rather violent things in his young life. It was not new to him. And when he saw Loki standing beside him, he freed one hand to wrap small finger's around Loki's, resting his head against Loki's side. After assuring himself his son was not afraid or upset by the scene in front of him, Loki dragged his eyes up to see Eric standing in front of Thor, fingers flickering with blue tongues of flame as the sky above crackled with thunder and lightning. There was tension in the room, a room that was beginning to rapidly smell like woodchips and ozone. If the two began to fight, there would be a massive amount of damage in a short amount of time.

After all, the last time the two had fought, they had destroyed nearly every building on one block in Manhattan, no small feat considering that, while Eric could heal damage done to him faster than normal humans, he was not able to withstand as much physical damage as Thor.

"What are you doing here, Brother?" Loki asked, tensing when Thor's crystalline blue eyes lifted to meet his. It had been so long since he had seen Thor. Months for that matter. Over half of a year. That time had changed Thor. Loki could see it in the warrior's eyes.

His hair was longer, somehow wilder, falling around his golden face like the mane of a lion, and his eyes were blazing with some inner warmth, some deep determination. He was dressed in his warrior's clothing, Mjolnir in his hand, and the door was lying in two pieces at his feet. Apparently, not only had he kicked it off the hinges, he had kicked it in half as well. Interesting. Shawn was standing mere feet away from the two of them, watching with his arms folded across his chest, but it was clear from the darkness to his amber brown eyes he was furious, absolutely raging because the damned door had been kicked down again. Loki felt the tension ratchet up a few notches as the air took on a humid air, proof Shawn was on the knife's edge of losing control.

But, of course, Thor had not come alone. Sif, Volstagg, and Hogun stood behind him, each of them with one hand on their weapons. Never a good sign. Of course, by doing something as stupid as making it appear they were willing to attack would only make Eric more likely to attack, and unlike the warriors, he needed only concentrate his mind to make flames appear on their skin and their clothes. His powers and abilities were all based on mental capacity with some contributing physical factors, but since time travel was the only thing that required him to make changes to his body, there would be no warning if he decided to flare up. There would only be flames and the smell of burnt skin, sickly sweet, and probably soon followed by the scent of blood. The warriors he could not dissuade from their stupidity, since it was clear they had not changed since he had last left Asgard, but Eric would listen to reason, Shawn even more so.

"There is no reason to move to violence just because my moronic brother destroyed your door," he reminded them sternly, and he saw Eric's fingers stop flickering. Excellent sign. Perhaps the time traveler had been waiting to be soothed. "He will be leaving shortly, so it would be a good time to wake Coulson and have him call someone to come repair the door."

Shawn sighed and combed his fingers through his hair, and the humidity in the room dropped into nothingness. "Already did. Everyone's waiting in the kitchen. Steve wanted to fight, but he's got Abe, so that's not exactly going to work. Tony wanted to help, but outside of the suit… You get the point, and then Eric isn't going to let him fight, and Thor busting the damn door down nearly made Bruce freak out, so I sent him into the kitchen too. Tasha and Clint are waiting for us to give them the word to help since two against four really isn't fair."

"You two against any four isn't fair for the four. You'll just end up touching them and feeding their thoughts to Eric so he knows what's coming next," Loki pointed out, smirking when Shawn winced and nodded as if to say, _Yes, you're right_.

"There is no reason for battle, not when I have come here on peaceful terms to reclaim what is rightfully mine," Thor said simply, sitting Mjolnir on the floor and spreading his hands in front of him. Though the gesture was for the twins, his eyes were locked with Loki's. "I have come, as I said I would, to kneel before my true love and swear fealty to him. I promised you, Loki. I swore. And though much time has passed, I am here, and I will never leave your side."

After conducting his little speech, Thor did fall to his knees, and both Eric and Shawn jumped back at the sudden movement. Thor was a prince of Asgard. Princes of Asgard did not fall to their knees in front of traitors or Frost Giants or murderers, and yet Thor was kneeling to all three at the same time. One hand whipped out, lightning fast, and drew one of Loki's to his lips, kissing Loki's fingers delicately. Hard to ignore the fire burning in those beautiful blue eyes, a fire to rival the azure flames Eric conjured in his deepest rages, fires that could easily conquer the heat of the Midgardian sun if they could reach as high. Thor was serious. And Loki knew he should step away, should silence Thor before it became too late, because what could he do once Thor was sworn to him? If he officially swore, the power of Asgardian edicts would bind him to whatever he said, and it would be impossible to keep Thor away. Impossible to marry Selvig and begin the life he was so eager to begin.

As always, though, Eric seemed to know exactly what to do. "Thor, this is not the time. Don't say it. _Do not say it_. You have no right to just show up when Loki's getting ready to get married. You wrote your stupid little letter, and we all expected you to show up, and you never did."

"And you never sent a letter to tell Loki why it was taking so long for you to show up," Steve added as he walked into the room, the rest of the team following. Evidently, the lack of screaming and fighting and expensive furniture breaking and the powder blue walls being splattered with blood were enough to convince the Avengers it was okay to enter the room.

Loki felt a hand on his waist and turned to find Selvig just behind him, looking confused and worried, but there was no accusation in the man's pale blue eyes. None at all. Because he knew this was all Thor, not Loki, and he had no worries Loki would set Thor straight and send him on his way. But Loki was confused and worried himself, and for different reasons. It was one thing to read Thor's letter and wait for months for his brother to come, but it was another thing to have Thor kneeling in front of him, clasping his hand and not shrinking away from his Jotun child, who still held his other hand, head still resting against his side. Lovely, how Thor managed to prove he was open to the idea of different people once it was too late. Different races, the race he had once called monsters and labored to kill. Loki was caught between his fiancé and his brother, uncertain of which way to lean, only glad that Thor had not attempted to speak an oath yet. That gave him time to think about what he was supposed to do. His mind told him to send Thor away before it was too late, before Selvig realized something was amiss in the fact Loki was not sending Thor away, but his heart rebelled against that thought violently.

_What am I going to do?_ he wondered.

"I was foolish to wait so long to come to my beloved's side when it was clear he needed me," Thor admitted, rising to his feet, keeping Loki's hand in his as he raised his free one to cup Loki's cheek. "I apologize with all of my heart and soul, Loki, and if I could change it, I would. But I can offer you my love and my heart, both of which still belong to you regardless of your relationship with Selvig. I still love you, and I always will. I have come to offer you everything I promised."

Tony snorted and broke away from the group to stand by Eric, and the time traveler folded an arm around the billionaire's waist possessively. Protectively. "You can't give him anything. He's already engaged. He's loved. What more can you give him?"

"He can't give him anything. Do you want me to escort him to the doorway?" Selvig asked, and Loki turned his head again to look into his fiancé's eyes. Torn. What could he do or say?

"Momma doesn't want him to go," Jorry said quietly, and Loki jumped at the sound of his son's voice, the nature of his words. The child was going to be the end of him, but since he was against striking any of his children, there was little he could do to stop it. Not when Jorry was right and saying what he had been struggling to find the courage to say himself. "Momma wants to talk to him. It's why he's been so sad. Because they didn't get to talk."

Loki gave Jorry's hand a little squeeze and looked down into green eyes exactly like his, running the pad of his thumb over his son's knuckles. No use in hiding when the child in the room could see right through them, but of course, Jorry might as well be an extension of him. The little Jotun who turned into a serpent when upset, whose fangs could deliver a drop of venom so deadly it would kill a mortal in seconds. _Could_ kill an Aesir, and Loki knew that for a fact because Jorry had bitten one of the guards who tried to force Loki's mouth onto his manhood. Bit him, just a little nip on the hand, but the man took ill and died within twenty-four hours. The crime would have been held against the serpent-boy if not for the fact Odin believed Loki when he told the king what the guard had attempted to do to him. That Jorry was only defending his mother and would do so only against those who tried to hurt Loki, and that meant bad news for anyone trying to harm him.

Selvig frowned but nodded slowly. "I guess you two do have things to talk about. Do you want me to stay in the room with you, or are you okay by yourself?"

"You should go check on the little ones and take Jorry back to bed," Loki said, leaning in to rest his forehead against his fiancé's to soothe the worry from Selvig's eyes.

"I don't want to go back to bed," Jorry said, tightening his grip on Loki's hand, and when he licked his lips nervously, Loki noted a flash of fang in his son's mouth and understood. The poor boy was afraid for him. "I'm not tired. I want to stay up."

Eric cleared his throat and ran his free hand through his hair. "What about us, snowflake?"

"Thor will not try anything, but if it would make the lot of you more comfortable, I will keep the captain and the beast in the room with me. They will be able to provide any protection I may need without lighting anything aflame or attempting to dry-drown anyone," Loki said shortly.

He saw both twins wince, but he made no move to apologize for the sharp comment because they needed to understand their reactions to Thor's presence were ridiculous. And, of course, there was the fact the heat in the room fizzled out, leaving it pleasantly cool, proof enough the two of them were listening. Eric grumbled an acceptance and headed to the stairs, one hand darting out to catch Tony by the wrist and draw him along as well. Shawn and Bruce shared a quick kiss before Shawn followed, pouting like a sullen child, kicking at the carpet as he started up the stairs. Selvig kissed Loki softly before following the teleporter, and after giving the warriors chilly glares, Clint, Tasha, and Coulson headed to their rooms as well. Volstagg made a comment about raiding the kitchen, and Loki watched him lead the two warriors there as well, leaving him with his son and two bodyguards, and Thor. And, of course, the cool night air wafting in from outside. It was good Jorry was still holding Fluffernutter, who was shaking like a leaf in the rain, because Loki was certain the rabbit would bolt for the outdoors once again. Animals sensed tension on a far more acute level than humans, after all.

Gently, Loki herded Jorry toward the loveseat and waited for him to settle in, then sat beside him and curled himself protectively around the boy and the bunny, the latter who let out a funny sound and padded closer to nuzzle Loki's hand. Steve and Bruce took the couch, and Thor sat in Eric's chair, an offense that would warrant punishment if the time traveler ever discovered it. No doubt Jarvis would find a way to tell him, and Loki had no doubt the AI system was recording this meeting just as he recorded most of what happened in the public areas of the house. Being careful to smudge all of the film recordings where one couple or another "christened" an area of the house. And if he was not automatically recording, Tony or Eric, or maybe both, was probably informing him to do so right now and to inform them if tensions arose.

"What do you have to say to me, Thor?" Loki demanded, voice cool and clear, resting his cheek on the top of Jorry's head, letting one hand fall on Fluffernutter's back, smoothing the white-and-honey fur gently. Calming the shivers out of the rabbit's little body.

Thor cleared his throat and combed his fingers through his hair, then folded his hands in his lap and turned those blazing, haunted eyes on Loki. "I love you, little one. I always have. You read as much in my letter, and I am not hear to repeat those words. I am here because I _love_ you, and because I _want_ you, and because I _ache_ for you. Because I am prepared to be the husband you need at your side to love you, the man you need to care for you, and the father your children need for support. I am here to be whatever you want or need me to be. To swear my fealty, though the one who steps through the annals of time halted my words. I am here for _you_, Loki."

"And what if I told you I was no longer within your reach?" Loki felt the icy power inside of him, his Jotun skin, just beneath the surface, wanting to come forth. He wanted to release it, to see the horror in Thor's eyes when he realized what his beloved _brother_ was. After all, Thor had never seen his Jotun flesh, and it would sober him rapidly. "What if I told you I am devoted to Erik Selvig and I no longer wish you to be a part of my life? That I burned your letter and laughed at your memory?"

"Then I would accept the words and continue to strive to bring you into my life where you belong," Thor said, tone soft and gentle, words simply.

Loki stood slowly and stepped in front of Thor, reaching for his Jotun skin and letting it bleed through to the surface. Considering he had decided not to don his shirt as he hurried to get downstairs as soon as possible, it was all too easy to see the blue eat across his skin like frost on a windowsill, the raised, delicate markings swirling across his skin. He could not see his eyes, but he knew they were scarlet and wild, striking against his blue skin and dark hair, and he let Thor see. Let Thor see what he was and who he was, and since he had long since made his peace with it, his own form did not disgust him. He found his blue skin whimsical instead and often traced the lines upon it with interest, wondering what they meant, what they signified about him. But the change did not have the desired effect. Instead of horrifying Thor and making him realize what he was doing, the change seemed to interest the God of Thunder. He stood instead of shrinking away, cupped Loki's cheek instead of being afraid. And the chill of Loki's skin did not burn his palm as it should have, did not leave black marks on Thor's palm. That seemed to encourage Thor to stroke his thumb over Loki's cheekbone.

"You try to frighten me, Brother, but nothing is more terrifying than that awful helmet of yours," the golden prince said softly, his free hand tracing one of the arcs on Loki's chest. "This does not frighten me. You could never frighten me. Even when you were preparing to destroy all of Jotunheim and were mad with power and had tears running down your face when you brought up Jane, you could not frighten me." He placed the flat of his hand over the left side of Loki's chest, over his heart. "Because in here, where it counts, you are good and sweet and kind, and had any of us cared enough to see it before, you would still be in Asgard with me. This child you carry within you would be mine, and your little ones would be mine as well, and they would be the princess and princes of Asgard. Hel would make a beautiful queen, and you well know it. She is the daughter of a Fire Sprite, is she not? A daughter of Muspelheim. Did you know you have a sister there as well?"

Loki swallowed hard and nodded once, lifting his hand, wrapping his fingers around Thor's wrist, not to push him away but to feel the thrum of his brother's pulse beneath his fingers. It had been so _long_. So long since they had lost touched. "She would, and I know of who you speak. Jada. She came and spoke to me while I was imprisoned in the Hellicarrier. She even looks like me. Green eyes and dark hair when she uses her glamour. It was how I knew it was true. That our blood ran true."

"Two brothers as well, and they also look like you, though their eyes are darker. But they have your magic. One of them through me. Do your children have your magic as well?" Thor asked.

"Yes, they do. All of them, and they refine it every day." To Steve and Bruce, who looked caught between disbelief and confusion, he asked, "Are you wondering how my sister crept into your beloved Hellicarrier?" When Bruce nodded slowly, Loki smiled wryly. "She is older than I, older even than Thor. At least four hundred years older, and she has learned to refine her magic to near perfection. There is little to nothing she cannot do. I do believe that the only reason our dear psychic twins and the little bird succeeded in bringing Hel home was because Jada allowed them to leave. Had she truly wanted Hel to remain in Muspelheim, she would have."

Thor caught Loki's chin and turned his face back around, and Thor was smiling at him. Smiling so broadly, so gently. "It would take all of the other realms, and then some, to defeat our family. So much more. None would stand against us, and your children would have the best protection, the best teachers, and everything they could ever want. And you would have me, and so would they. I promise."

Bruce made a noise and straightened up. "If I could say something? Thor, you need to remember something. This isn't all a matter of making Loki fall in love with you again. He's with someone else. _Engaged_ to someone else, and don't you think it's a little bit unfair to make him choose like this?"

"_Try_ to make him choose," Steve added, frowning hard at Thor. "Loki's fragile. You have to know that after what happened. But look at him. He's in a better place. Look at Jorry. Because of what you didn't say and didn't do to keep him in Asgard, he was in that freezing place, and I know you hated those people and that place. And after what Eric and Shawn and Clint did, all of them are here, safe and warm, and four of them are tucked in bed where no one can ever touch them."

"But I love him. I am _here_ for him, and he sent me that letter, and I responded. I know most of you know what I said in it. That I would kneel before him and swear fealty to him," Thor argued.

Something he said caught Loki's attention. No. The lack of something Thor said. "You also said you would give up the throne of Asgard for me, Thor. That you would give _everything_ up if only for me, yet you come to me dressed as a prince and speak of making me your consort. What if I do not wish to return to Asgard? What if I desire to do as Jada said, to take the crown of Jotunheim and make you _my_ consort? Or perhaps I will remain in Midgard with the friends who love me and care for me, and you will be nothing more than a common man. What would you do then, Brother? Would you still stand by my side and hold my hand and call me your own, and my children your brood, if you were forced to live in this apartment with these horrid blue walls?"

"I like the blue," Steve said defensively. "It's very soft."

"Would you have me do it, brother? I will give up my power now, swear to never use it again, if only that is what you desire. You tell me, and I will do it. I will give up even Mjolnir for you," Thor said, and he yet again fell to his knees. This time, he was truly kneeling to a Jotun prince.

Loki swallowed hard and tried to force the words out of his throat, everything coming out strangled. "Thor… Brother… Do not d-do this."

"I swear to you now under the power of Asgard that I shall never be loyal to any other but you," he said, and it was too late to stop him. Loki could fill the magic settling around them. Binding Thor to his own words, making it impossible for him to change his mind. "I give up my right as prince. I give up the throne of Asgard. I abdicate and surrender my title, and I swear I shall never take it up again. My position as a warrior is surrendered as well, and in its place, I swear myself to you. I swear to guard your life with mine. I swear to preserve your safety above all else. I swear to cast aside all selfish ambition and pledge myself only to your service and protection. Will you allow me to stay?"

"Well, I cannot very well send you away now, you foolish man. You have sworn yourself to me, and under this ridiculous _edict_ of yours, you have more or less sewn yourself to my side," Loki snapped, giving the back of Thor's head a proper smack. Foolish, _foolish_ man that he was!

Steve gaped. "Are you serious? Thor, you can't just up and decide you want to do something like that. Loki has a _fiancé_!"

A familiar voice came from the stairs, and Eric stepped slowly into the light of the living room, arms folded and brows furrowed in a scowl. "That is _hardly_ the least of Jolteon's problems right now, not when he just very _loudly_ informed us the snowflake is pregnant. Do you feel like 'fessing up now, Loki, or do you want to pretend Jarvis totally didn't record that?"

"The man with no body is here?" Thor asked, glancing around.

"_Quite here, sir_," Jarvis replied, always steady, always sure. "_I recorded every word, as you told me to do, and there is evidence that Thor Odinson did indeed claim Loki Laufeyson is carrying a child. I suppose we are presuming this child is of Selvig_?"

Eric nodded and gave a thumbs up to the ceiling, then faced Thor and refolded his arms across his chest. "I suppose you are going to sit there and tell me you totally just didn't say that Loki was pregnant. And you're going to deny the fact that you knew before we did. And you're going to say you _just knew_ or some crap like that. Right? Well, too bad, _Thor_, but it's time to confess."

Of course, the tension in the room was right back up, but most of the power force in the room was emanating from Eric while Thor tried not to look guilty. Loki blinked once, allowing the conversation to sink in, then rested his hand on his stomach, watching the blue drain away from his skin, leaving it porcelain fair once again. Thor knew. Had probably found out from Heimdall, who would have known every move Loki made since he did not attempt to disguise himself any longer. Had he thought the Gatekeeper would stop watching him when he no longer had an influence on Asgard? Not after what he had done to Heimdall. Not after freezing him and injuring him, a feat no citizen of Asgard could lay claim to, but he could and did. Heimdall had told Thor. Of that, Loki was certain.

"I am carrying a child, and yes, it is Erik Selvig's," Loki confirmed after a moment, swallowing the thick lump that grew in his throat.

"Thanks for telling me what I figured out when you started running off to throw up at all hours of the day," Eric said, dropping down on the loveseat beside Jorry. "Called it, for the record, and that means Clint and Shawn are officially out fifty bucks each. But that's besides the point. What exactly are we going to do about Thor? It's not like I can't fit him _and_ his very _loud_ friends in here, but it'll be a tight squeeze, and K-Man is not going to like this very much. He was all certain that you were going to kick Thor out on his ass."

Thor lifted his chin. "I would not presume to think I have a place in your home, horribly colored though it is, but I am afraid it would be rather difficult for me to live elsewhere. You see, as I have bound my loyalty to Loki, I must remain at his side at all times."

"And there's no way to break this?" Bruce asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Unless he swears his loyalty to another, and I give him proper permission to do so," Loki said, "or if someone swears himself to Thor. Those are the only ways this can be broken, and he _knew_ that when he was saying it, which is _why_ he said it. So, unless he falls in love with someone else, or someone falls in love enough with him to be bound by the magic and power of Asgard, Thor must remain at my side. Else, the magic binding him will tear him apart and leave his power bound."

The time traveler snorted. "And who, pray tell, has a problem with that? Can I see hands on who has a problem with Thor getting ripped apart by magic?"

"I don't want Thor to get hurt. Momma was sad when Thor went away before," Jorry said, raising his hand, and instantly, everyone else's hand went up. Including Eric, and the time traveler scolded at his hand as if angry it had betrayed him.

"That settles it. Thor and his friends can bunk here for the night," Steve said, standing, as if saying the subject was closed. "I'll show them to their rooms after his friends finish eating."

Eric nodded slowly, then sat bolt upright and squawked. "You _let_ those people in my _kitchen_?"


End file.
